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Anyone with direct experience, or owners.??? Would like to hear from those with firsthand knowledge, thx
Follow Ups:
I own a pair of the first production run of M28's to come off of the line (Serial 10&11 if I'm not mistaken). As the first two responses to this post suggest, these amps are many levels beyond phenomenal. They have transcended every genre of music I throw at them with a musicality & ease that is unsurpassed in my listening experience. The dynamic range is incredible. I've had great exploration listening to a friends collection of electronica in DSD and other high res formats that he somehow collects from the underbelly of the internet which has some really intense subharmonic stuff going on with all sorts of voicings across the entire audible frequency grate just to throw everything in the kitchen sink at these amps mainly for sport as it's not my flavor otherwise. However, my most articulate recording of Saint Saens 3rd Organ Symphony is almost as goose bump inducing as hearing that piece live with Cameron Carpenter and the LA Phil at the Disney Hall earlier this year. The spacial elements of feeling like you are sitting in the middle of the tracking room when Harry Connick Jr. recorded a 'A nightingale sang in berkley square' is consistently my experience. These amps are exceptional top to bottom and I am very pleased with my purchase.I am running the M28's with the M1 and latest generation of passive ATC100 towers with Kimber select copper/silver hybrid.
Edits: 04/28/15
"...hearing that piece live with Carmen Carpenter and the LA Phil at the Disney Hall earlier this year. ..."
I also had the chance to see/hear Cameron Carpenter earlier this year - almost the same program as at Disney Hall - play at Segerstrom in OC.
Just amazing performance.
Nothing in my opinion matches a live concert hall, so were the M28's the same - no - but PD close. Which is why I stayed for as long as I did.
"The dynamic range is incredible."
Absolutely agree. Without distortion.
Just checking.
argh, yes, thanks for the correction!
Well, if I had made the mistake, I would have said Carleton Carpenter.
could not resist.
jm
Big ATCs and an amplifier that can clamp the woofer down without breaking into a sweat!
Thanks for posting.
jm
Thanks all, and not to preclude others from chiming in.....
I heard the M1 and M28s for the first time this weekend at AXPONA. I had wandered in near the end of the show looking for a DAC and listened to both symphonic and chorale music. Someone else in the room had asked for the chorale and it was instructive hearing something that I would not have asked for. I was totally impressed and ended up there for the better part of an hour. Being the end of the show - interest can wane, or I just get fatigued (I was there all three days). But this was so good! Glad get some confirmation. They really sounded great. Thanks for the input.
I have not posted in years....This is worth a note.The day with John was an amazing one. After spending the better part of 20 years in front of many different systems and loudspeakers tying to connect the dots between science and human interface, for me an old hypothesis was confirmed.
The M28's were fantastic and contrary to any nay-saying not only did they have ample bite, but quite possibly the best dynamic range I have heard in an amp regardless of rated watts. The amplifier/loudspeaker relationship is very important, and like an engine pushing along a vehicle, the current/voltage relationship and capability becomes important with a non-sine (test-tone anyway...) source such as music with the changing load of a loudspeaker. In a vehicle an engine without a good horsepower/torque curve (the equivalent to the voltage/current relationship capability of an amp to deliver) will not "feel" right. Regardless of how much horsepower or torque it has. In this sense, the M28's define this relation to near perfection and the largest by product is NO distortion.
Low distortion (you can almost say none in this situation) lacks many of the sonic signatures we all know in love....Even in top dollar audio systems. The result being slight tainted glasses we are seeing our music through yet we have come so accustom to wearing these glasses it is easy to forget that even beyond the hundred kilo-buck range many systems still contain detectable levels of distortion.
Starting with the M1, through the Cardas Clear, to the M28, through more Clear, then to loudspeakers with low inherent distortion (mind you even the BEST loudspeakers have distortion orders of magnitude higher than the Bricasti M1 and M28) the sound contained something many, even those with decades experience, are not use to... No apparent distortion. What does this sound like? What is the apparent result? Sound which is not unlike drinking from a mountain stream. We can reference the best purified waters as what water should taste like, however even they add minerals to improve "taste". There is no taste in the M28, only seemingly limitless capability. Detail, balance, power, drive, response top to bottom for me was as good as it gets regardless of price tag.
While the big expensive amp arena has been filled with MMA fighters of high strength and fighting skill, the M28 entered as James Bond and with skillful class, for me, and has taken the rest out in a cunning way no one could have seen coming.
YMMV/IMHO & Warmest,
Michael
Edits: 04/27/15
Source was Bricasti M1, cables Cardas Clear except for Nordost Silver Ghost SPDIF. Loudspeakers were a custom design by Mike Zisserson.Whereas with the 150 wpc ATC P1 (IIRC $4100) stereo amp, there was bass, but it was sloshing around at knee level, with the $30,000 Bricasti monoblocks, the bass was anchored to the floor.
An audiophile friend who grew up in Europe and who has had subscriptions to the London and New York philharmonics, with a rather nice system, said they were the best amps he had heard.
No distortion, no noise to be heard, amazing dynamics. In terms of ying and yang, a "male" sound compared to that of darTZeel's NHB-108, which is IMHO a delicate but supple "female" sound--the sweetest solid-state amp I have heard that was still essentially accurate rather than euphonic.
Obviously, I have not heard them together. I think that the Bricastis' obviously superior drive and bass makes them more an "amplifier for all seasons."
A famous classical engineer I know, John Newton, has bought quite a few of them, at least 5 (!), and has made a video, link attached.
John
Edits: 04/27/15 04/27/15
nt
I have met up with John several times at pro audio events in New England, but I have never visited his studio and I have no idea what he had for amps before, and I have no idea what other amps he tried in his new room.
The studio is Sound Mirror in Jamaica Plain (Boston). You could email him and ask.
Another aspect of this that I run into and think important but it seems that many pro audio people do not is, let's imagine that Studio A has Cello Performance amplifiers, and that they have been in use 50 five-day weeks a year since 1986. That's more than 25 years, and getting on toward 30!
Does it not stand to reason that things like capacitors, resistors, and diodes just possibly might have drifted away from factory spec? And then Brian Zolner does not quite waltz in with a Bricasti M28, one would have to be a weight lifter to do that. But he installs his new amps with a few dozen hours on them, and: Holy Crap!!!
Whereas perhaps if the Cello amps had been sent out for thousands of dollars of work to source and replace all known-to-fail internal components, would not there be a good chance that the reaction in this case also would be, Holy Crap!!!
Like taking a Porsche 356 and paying $100,000 to have it rebuilt better than new.
Not a whit off the Bricasti, I mean no disrespect to it or to Sound Mirror. But in nearly every studio I have ever visited, the mantra is, if it ain't broke, don't replace it. NEARLY. Some studios always have to have the latest.
jm
I'm not doubting Newton's sincerity. I'm sure he loves the amps, but basically that seemed like an ad and made me wonder if the studio got a discount in return for the video endorsement. IME its not common for engineers to spend time making videos to extoll the virtues of particular amps while failing to mention the other amps he/she had previously used that were inferior by comparison.
Well, its really of no import to me anyway, since I'm about as likely to spend 30 grand on amps as the Koch bros endorsing Hillary.
Soundmirror did a location recording for us at the Kaye Playhouse in Manhattan. If I recall correctly, they monitored the performance using NAD amps and B & W speakers. The model designation of both escapes me. Blanton Alspaugh was our lead engineer and did an excellent job.
What is it that you do not get?
JM
I assume your remark was directed to me.Several earlier posters asked what other brand of amps Soundmirror used. I knew the answer, at least in my experience, and responded. Of course I understand that Soundmirror or any other recording company would not drag large amps or speakers to a remote location. Likewise, I suspect the new Benchmark amp is going to become very popular for this purpose.
To answer your question, "what is it that I don't get?" We didn't get a Grammy.
BTW, Soundmirror, as used by the company, is one word.
Edits: 04/29/15
I have done a fair number of location recording projects in places that do not have regular provision for recording shacks. Mechanics Hall Worcester (USA) is just about the only place I have been where there was a dedicated room--it even had monitor speakers there.
So, the point I thought was pretty obvious was that given the logistical difficulties of remote location recordings in churches, etc., it does not surprise me at all that they would take a NAD amp on the road. It does not weigh 120 pounds, it is not likely to get dropped, it is probably dinged up anyway, and if by mishap it is stolen, nobody will shed tears.
Not specifically at you, but, I am just shaking my head at the reactions some people have. If an amplifier is not that good, you could offer five of them to John Newton and he would not take them. I have a very hard time believing that Bricasti would offer a "power user" a discount, but then condition it on a publicity video.
I have heard those amps and they are phenomenal, and I think that John Newton's enthusiam was genuine and not strategic, and what he paid for his amps is strictly between him and Bricasti.
IMHO.
Were I to win the Lottery, I'd have to decide among those, the darTZeels, and the big Luxmen.
Ciao,
Joh
The amplifier bench tested well , except it could not drive a two ohm load , its clamping circuitry intervening at approx 11 amps . It has been my experience over the years where amplifiers that do have such an handicap , tend to be "polite" sounding ....
A shame really , Bricasti , should free it up a bit , its too expensive an amp to be going bye bye like that ...
For A. Wayne, re: " A shame really , Bricasti , should free it up a bit , its too expensive an amp to be going bye bye like that ... "
My guess, and I'd be willing to bet, it's not going bye bye anytime soon - it's too good.
Let's check in about 6 - 8 months from now and see......
Bye , Bye, As in shutting down , it wont drive difficult low-Z loads.....
re: "Bye , Bye, As in shutting down , it wont drive difficult low-Z loads..... "
aha - I misunderstood; sorry. thx for clarifying.
Hello,
I was also surprised with the backlash over John Newton endorsing the amps. I have never had the pleasure of meeting him nor have I been to their facility but I can't imagine him endorsing anything that was not up to his standards. From your observations, the observations of others supported by JA's measurements, they appear to be superb amps. I would love to hear them myself.
As I'm sure you know, the Kaye Playhouse belongs to Hunter College and is one of the few venues in all of NYC that has a good sized orchestra pit and is also available for short-term rental. The Soundmirror crew set up operations in a second floor classroom. We've done six commercial recordings previously but nothing of this quality, thanks to a generous grant from a wealthy contemporary music lover.
Just curious if you have ever heard a Tidal amp and if so what your opinion was?
jm
The Tidal system was my favorite from all I heard at Axpona.
Are these the mono amps that Fremer panned in the latest issue of Stereophile?
I decided to check them out when he "panned" them, I figure that means they are not harsh and bright sounding.
well with 99db sensitivity , best to have "soft" ........ :)
I haven't seen the review yet but I wonder what associated equipment was. When I heard the M28's with the M1 front end the sound seemed to have plenty of grip, quick and agile. They were driving a set of Tidal speakers and the bass went extremely low. Synergy is everything.
RE: " I haven't seen the review yet but I wonder what associated equipment was. "
There were many positive comments but at the end of the day, MF said he wanted more bite and more metal in the sound.
Horses for courses.
jm
I was neglectful in not mentioning that several of the recordings I have raved about in print in recent years were produced and recorded and mastered or authored by Sound Mirror, most notably the Chandos Gretchaninov Holy Week SACD.
I think that Sound Mirror (and this is totally surmise on my part) might think that people must assume they are second-rate, for not having a NYC address. So perhaps they feel Bricasti is like them in an uphill fight. I do know that Sound Mirror very generously sets up for surround-sound seminars at the annual Parsons Audio trade fair, and that those semimars are attended free of charge by many Boston-area music and audio students.
It would not surprise me at all if the motivation was to help another Massachusetts-based enterprise. The Harmon Luxury Audio Group of whatever they were called formerly had a campus outside of Boston and also a facility near New Haven, and those were closed and most of the work as I understand it sent to California or even further West. That hurt a lot of people.
Perhaps John Newton just wants to help a Massachusetts company get the word out. I am sure he could have gotten some kind of discount from nearly any amp maker in the world, and quasi-perma-loan from many.
When my record label JMR was going strong, one loudspeaker company offered to lend me a pair of nice loudspeakers as long as I cared to use them. They of course then would publicize that, so I declined.
jm
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